Response to Alison Mau opinion piece in Sunday Star Times 17 Feb 2019

Ms Mau is wrong in her assertion in an opinion piece, published by the Sunday Star Times on 17 Feb 2019, that the deployment to Taji is top secret. It is not.

The NZDF regularly publishes information about activities there through media releases and on our social media channels which have imagery and video. The NZDF also facilitated a visit by journalists to Taji, including from Stuff. Journalists are also invited to attend homecomings from Taji to get interviews with NZDF personnel. Information is also available on other government websites.

We note that though Ms Mau asked NZDF for a comment for her piece, Stuff chose not to use it. We repeat it here:

"The NZDF is fully participating in, and supporting the Inquiry. It is for the Inquiry to determine how it conducts its processes, and in due respect for the Inquiry's work we have no further comment to make on this matter.

The Inquiry’s website contains information which will assist in providing further clarification to your queries, specifically the Inquiry’s Ruling No.1.”